Thursday, December 9, 2010

Can't afford...

You can’t afford not to pay the price of a leader. I remember coming home late one nite after a full day at church. I mean we were all over the place. It was my frosh year at APU and I was at school on Tuesday and Thursday from 7am-10pm or I was at church Mon-Wed-Fri all day – not including the weekends. So, we were building our ministry and it was getting exciting. The group growth stuff was all kind of new to us as a staff, but we knew we were on the right track. And it’s like 1am and I’m dragging my butt into Smith Hall, the all-guys dorm (I know – boooo!!!). But I am exhausted, walking down the hallway to my room. All my boys are chillin in the lobby, prolly just getting back from a dope roommate date thing, or Jay Leno again, a beach trip, road trip to Mexico – whatever. It could have been any number of events. And I’m thinking to myself, “What the heck am I doing? Is this worth it? Am I making an impact? Am I throwing my college years away?

The short answer is NO. the long answer entailed countless talks with Cobb over the next four years, him sitting me down, giving me pep talks, getting me out of messes, teaching me principles, loving me for who I was, not allowing me to settle, pushing me to my leadership limits – to name a few. The man taught me vision – he taught me to have vision. I mean, he wasn’t even necessarily a vision guy. But here is the thing… he knew that I WAS a vision guy. And if I didn’t re-learn the vision of our ministry and my calling to ministry and leadership daily, he would have lost me. I can’t imagine what I would be doing had Cobb not been there for me.

So when I get out to see him in MI minimum once a year, or steal some of his much coveted time when he is in Cali, I don’t care what the cost is! Because it costs me thousands of dollars and a ton of “ministry capital.” So, I don’t care what it costs me in time or money or whatever. If I lose that time with my mentor, I can never get that time back. Do you have a mentor you pursue? If not, you are wasting valuable resources. Get on it!!!

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Rev. Dr. Michael David Morales

Born and raised in So Cal, MO has always felt a need to pour into the lives of others. At a young age he realized both his speaking and leadership gifts. Involvement in school student government gave him his first taste of leadership, and that was all he needed. Right out of high school, he took an intern position under his mentor of three years, and he eventually became a youth pastor.
MO attended Azusa Pacific University and received a B.A. in Christian Ministries and Biblical Studies, as well as a Business Marketing Minor. He continued his education at Fuller Theological Seminary and attained a Master of Divinity degree with an emphasis in Family Pastoral Care and Counseling; he received his Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership from University of Phoenix School of Advanced Studies.
Currently MO serves in various ministries and consults both secular and religious institutions in leadership issues. he is Chaplain at Methodist Hospital in Arcadia as well as Chaplain in the US Army. MO is an author, professor, and college swim coacch. He speaks at youth camps and conferences around the nation. His goal is to add value to others daily.